Division 1 Objectives

The purpose of this Decision is to promote accountability and responsibility with regard to the legal arms trade in line with Common Position 2008/944/CFSP, thereby contributing to peace, security and stability in countries neighbouring the Union. The objectives of this Decision are to promote improved controls on arms transfers by third countries and to support third countries’ efforts, at national and regional levels, to render international trade in conventional weapons more responsible and transparent, and to mitigate the risk of the diversion of arms to unauthorised users. Those objectives should be obtained by promoting the principles and criteria set out in Common Position 2008/944/CFSP and the ATT. The outcomes should aim to increase the effectiveness of national arms export systems in targeted countries: the implementing agency will report on legal, institutional and other relevant changes and their alignment with Common Position 2008/944/CFSP and, where appropriate, the ATT. Those outcomes should be pursued in seeking complementarity and synergies with the Union’s ongoing assistance projects in support of the implementation of the ATT, as well as in the field of export controls on dual-use goods. The scope of beneficiaries under this Decision should not overlap with beneficiaries covered under Decision (CFSP) 2017/915.

In order to achieve the abovementioned objectives, the Union should continue to promote the standards of Common Position 2008/944/CFSP, building on the achievements reached through the implementation of Joint Action 2008/230/CFSP and Decisions 2009/1012/CFSP, 2012/711/CFSP, (CFSP) 2015/2309 and (CFSP) 2018/101. For that purpose, assistance should be provided to beneficiary third countries for the drafting, updating and implementation, as appropriate, of relevant legislative, administrative and institutional measures that support an effective system of conventional arms transfer controls.

Support should also be given to the training of licensing and enforcement officers responsible for the implementation and enforcement of arms transfer controls, and to national and regional measures promoting transparency and appropriate scrutiny over exports of conventional weapons. Furthermore, contacts with the private sector (including industry, research institutes and academia) should be promoted in order to ensure compliance with arms transfer control legislation and regulations, focusing in particular on internal compliance programmes (ICPs).